Diamond Doves: Gender and diet question

[Feathery Mom]

I bought two lovely baby diamond doves from a breeder last year. He told me at least one of them was male, and the second one quite likely was too.

Well, now that they have matured... Jordan laid an egg in her food hopper, so I am pretty sure that I have at least one female !!

But I hear a sweet cooing, and a low growly but cute sound almost everyday, so like do only males coo like that... Or maybe I have two girls ?

The doves both have impressive orange "cere" like rings around their eyes, which is supposed to help tell the girls from the boys, but I don't see much difference.

Their body build is different, one is smaller and sleeker, and a darker shade of grey. It doesn't really matter what gender they are, but I am just curious. I love them very much. One of the doves has a darker beak, than the other too.

Now for their diet, I was wondering if they could enjoy a few snacks like my parrot. Can they have a bite of pasta or rice ? I know they like leafy veggies and totaly love millet. I don't want to make a mistake and give them something unhealthy. Please give me your advice.

[Monica]

There may be exceptions, though male eye-rings tend to be 2-3mm, while the females tend to be 1-2mm. Males tend to be blue-ish grey (mature of course), where-as females tend to be more brownish grey... In mature doves, the males tend to be larger than the females. Males tend to be more vocal than females, and when females coo they may have a higher pitched coo... Males will also do a bow coo, which is basically fluffing himself up, repeatedly touching his beak to the ground, fanning his tail, and coo.

If a male has found a nest, and the female has accepted him, he may do a slight twitch of his wings... he is basically in a bowing position, and will slightly move his wings...
http://www.dovepage.com/keeping/AV/wingflutter.mpa

Here is a photo that is trying to show the bow coo of a male towards a female... can't get the full jist of it however...
http://www.dovepage.com/galleries/ph...g-figurita.JPG


(just found all this info from a few sites... hope it helps!)


As far as pasta and rice, it should be fine... Look in the recipe section for 'Kitchen Sink' and there is a great recipe that would be great for all birds! Of course for small birds it would have to go through the food processor...